Melody Teh
Legal

Why this council’s yellow line fine has sparked outrage

Brisbane City Council has denied any wrongdoing after a resident claimed she received two fines for parking near yellow lines, which were painted around her car after she pulled over.

Ethel Chan said she left her car on Bell Street in Kangaroo Point on February 16, but whens he returned to her vehicle 16 days later on March 2, she found she had been slapped with two fines for illegally parking next to yellow line.

But Ethel claims the yellow line was painted after she parked her car, as when she initially parked her vehicle it was within a 'no limit' zone.

On February 21, she said she observed white chalk markings around her car, but said she received no notification about the works.

“Innocent people can be charged for offences they have never committed and be fined for $252 in total for just not having a look at their car for five days,” Ms Chan wrote in a letter to the council.

Brisbane City Council confirmed the road was painted between February 20 and 25, but said no vehicles were moved for the work to be done. 

“The machinery used for painting the no-parking area is around the size of a double-pram and cannot be operated when a vehicle is parked against the kerb,” it told Fairfax Media. 

The council has refused to waive the fines.

Ethel is adamant her car was moved in order for the lines to be painted.

“It is unbelievable that no cars were parked there because at least my car was there I know, and that street is within the Gabba area, it was very often that all parking spaces were occupied on that street,” she wrote.

Tags:
Legal, Parking fines, Brisbane